Project Journal

,

2020

,
While the Carpenter has been working very very hard… I’ve been feeding baby goats! Heaven on Earth Farm Baldwin, Wisconsin

While the Carpenter has been working very very hard… I’ve been feeding baby goats! Heaven on Earth Farm Baldwin, Wisconsin

I haven’t felt like writing a post. Has felt trivial in a lot of ways. Covid, riots, politics.

To be transparent we had to lay off our crew March 2020 as the pandemic hit and our spring projects all canceled. Thankfully work contacts picked up like crazy shortly after the panic of the pandemic subsided. We couldn’t believe it.

But our crew was too afraid of Covid to return to work in private homes. The Carpenter hired subs, let go subs, hired one employee and let go one employee. Had to keep wearing his “bags on” hat, meet with prospective homeowners, oversee projects, and purchase/pick up most project supplies. We stayed open. And thankfully are still open today.

I made a list of the projects we have worked on January 2020 till today January 2021 just to gather my thoughts …

-Home 1 White Bear Township large basement finish with kitchenette and media area
-Home 2 Maplewood rambler basement update including: guest bedroom, media family room, lower bath, new build recording studio space and first floor bath remodel
-Home 3 White Bear Lake rambler great room addition with shiplap cathedral ceiling, new kitchen countertops, new kitchen windows and cabinet remodel to fit new windows
-Home 4 Vadnais Heights multi level owner’s suite bath update
-Home 5- Maplewood multi level new wood laminate flooring installed on second floor office/hallway and lower level family room
-Home 6 Old downtown White Bear Lake bungalow new craftsman exterior entry door with sidelights installed, and new millwork for interior airlock foyer and entry
-Home 7 White Bear Township 2000 sq ft concrete driveway replacement
-Home 8 Lino Lakes two story dining room renovation into home office
-Home 9 Scandia rambler exterior update/LP Smart Siding, new exterior doors, windows, and custom matched stain to existing interior stain for window millwork
-Home 10 Lino Lakes two story all new interior millwork, laminate wood floors and carpeted staircase– rebuilt to be all wood (stain custom matched to laminate floor) and metal rail spindles
-Home 11 Falcon Heights Cape Cod basement finish including new bath and laundry area

And looking at this list I am amazed at the amount of projects we tackled in crazy 2020. Hopefully 2021 is as busy as 2020 but not as crazy. We are currently looking to bring on sub framers, and trim carpenters. The Carpenter looks forward to project management and meeting with homeowners only in this new year.

Thank you to all our homeowners that signed on with us during the pandemic. We appreciate your patience and confidence in us and the future as we continue to work during this unprecedented time.

PS Photos coming. I’ve been absent from project sites due to Covid. Waiting for some build project photos from the Carpenter’s phone. ;) I also am starting to get some final photos taken and various projects uploaded to facebook.


,

Back to business.

,
Mark_Mazie_atLakeChip.jpg

by the Artist

We just returned from two weeks away from the business. It was wonderful. But not so wonderful getting ready. Very hard for us to detach from our life for two weeks. Exhausting really with all the details to take care of.

We camped. I packed and prepared the camper and food. The Carpenter took care of the camper mechanicals. Doesn’t sound too bad. But it was. I’m sure the work involved is why many don’t consider camping a vacation. And honestly there are moments when I would agree.

We had our share of heat, bugs and two serious storms that hit right at dinner time. The second storm hit the night before we headed home.. was spectacularly scary. The Carpenter ended up monitoring the food tent (which was tied down with rope to the heavy wood tables). Well a single gust almost sent the Carpenter and the tent into the air. A wood table actually took flight, the Carpenter was lifted off his legs and the whole tent moved sideways.

On the positive side we enjoyed pontoon rides, morning walks with the snack manager, floating in lake, kayaking, some good meals and family the second week. I wish I was there right now.

While we were gone our crew worked hard on a project.. updating a 1990 home’s exterior. New siding, craftsman details, front door etc are being added. It was fun to see the transformation when I drove up today.. with just the siding wrap and new front door!

Oh and if you see a picnic table and food tent go flying by… give a wave to the Carpenter!



A frigid shoot. Barn style.

loftshoot.png

by the Artist

On a subzero Saturday morning last weekend, the Carpenter and I met the homeowner at the Bald Eagle Barn https://www.applewoodremodelers.com/baldeagle-barn project. I needed to take a photo of the guys for an upcoming White Bear Press article (hats off to Shannon Riley who wrote a beautiful story) featuring the barn build.

Saturday was at the tail end of the some of the coldest weather we have experienced in many years. We arrived a little early to prepare. I asked the Carpenter to set up one of the kerosene heaters to position directly in front of the guys. (I envisioned hours of photoshop work to fix red faces) He thought it was a crazy idea. But it worked. I came close a couple of times to backing into the flame and melting my snow pants! (hey all for a good shot!)

It took some time to get the lighting and best locations figured out. We had to make due with small spot lights on saw horses.

When we were ready I sent the Carpenter to retrieve the homeowner who had been outside snow blowing his driveway. He came in and said… “I’m just sweating” He proceeded to take his coat off and he was steaming! Clouds of vapors surrounded him. All the years I’ve lived in MN I have never seen that. I thought.. “oh no!” This is a photo challenge I haven’t run into before! Well he put his coat back on, jauntily wrapped a warm scarf around his neck and was good to go. No more steam thank goodness!

After almost one frigid hour I had a good photo. The homeowner was a lot of fun to work with. He has good energy. The Carpenter was a bit stiff.. but then it was so very cold!

Anyway… we got it done and ended up celebrating that night with the homeowner and his lovely wife at a nice place in downtown White Bear Lake. We had a great time getting to know each other and talking about the project and how wonderful it had turned out.

It was a good end to a good day, and what has turned out to be a wonderful project for us and the homeowners. We are blessed. And we have new friends!

You can read the article by clicking here– https://www.presspubs.com/white_bear/news/wright-was-right-form-and-function-fuel-design/article_271abfe2-2fbb-11e9-bf4a-6779106af3be.html Or if you are local it will be in the 2/13/19 White Bear Lake paper edition.



Hello Beautiful Barn!

by the Artist

The winter hasn’t been too bad so far. November started out miserably cold, we started the “Post and Beam” style barn near Bald Eagle Lake. December’s weather moderated and we ended up with little snowfall and warmer days. That helped the crew keep a good pace.

Today 50 mph winds slammed in. Thankfully the crew was working on the sunny side of the barn mostly out of the wind. We still have relatively little snow. Mostly just patches of precariously slippery rutted ice on the job site which has made for careful walking. I wanted the Carpenter to build a plank walking path to get too and from the vehicles. Don’t think that advice was heeded.

The barn project itself has had a bit of a learning curve. Challenging as we have not built from a “kit” before (Sandcreek Post and Beam). But challenging in a good way.. like working on a great big grainy puzzle! I think other then working during the winter months the crew has enjoyed it. And it is certainly turning out beautiful and is fitting perfectly with the historic home and cottage nearby. Same architectural lines. It features shed dormers on both sides, and an overhanging “hay hood” (in original barn construction, a hay hood was a projection of the roof on the end of the barn which the farmer would hoist hay up to the loft) on the right side to mirror the home and the cottage. (the cottage was part of the original property.) It is all wood. And is built so snuggly I’m sure it would withstand a tornado! Definitely not “stick frame” construction.

The homeowner will be doing renovations on the home in the future and is excited to start with this beautiful barn to enhance his property and provide much needed storage. In fact it has come to the attention of our local paper- The White Bear Press- who will be doing a feature story on the home in the near future.

So while the wind blows and the flurries fly… we move forward to complete this exciting project. Perhaps we will have a “barn raising” party to celebrate at its completion. In the summer of course… under sparkly lights and fireflies, and the quiet lapping of the lake nearby.




#readysetcold!

by the Artist

lumberdelivery1.png

Late last week the “Post and Timber” barn lumber was delivered. Three semi-flat bed trucks from Nebraska. It was bitter cold, an inch of snow lay on the ground… that had seemingly frozen solid overnight. The wind was whipping off the lake. It maybe was 20 degrees if you pointed your face to the sun and stood in the shelter of a wall. What an unexpectedly cold beginning to what we know will be a wonderfully “warm” project.

I drove over to the site to capture some of the frozen action. Thankfully the machine the Carpenter rented to use during the course of the project.. had a heated cab. That came in handy.

I arrived just as the homeowner arrived. I was parked in his driveway and he had no idea who the frozen chick was or what I was doing in his driveway. I quickly introduced myself and we had a nice conversation. He even invited me in to see part of the gorgeous historical home and his plans for it. I will certainly get a full tour later!

I am especially excited about this project because the home is gorgeous and has so much history, the area is full of history- Ma Parker and Baby Face Nelson rented a cottage right down the road during the gangster days. Many gangsters found refuge in the White Bear Lake area.

I have been promised historical facts about the home that I will share in a later post. I love homes that are from another era that have a story to tell. All the lives that have been lived in a home built so many years ago. We won’t know those stories most likely but I can just imagine. Really I can.

You can follow the progress of this project on

Our website

https://www.applewoodremodelers.com/current-project/

Or on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/ApplewoodINC/?ref=bookmarks.




A visit...

by the Artist

frostedfall_leaves.png

Last week the Carpenter and I visited a custom cabinetmaker’s workshop. The Carpenter had met Tim at our local gas station where he does his best networking. So on a sunny brisk day we headed to the workshop.. which happens to be very close to Applewood headquarters.

We spent almost two hours speaking with the owner Tim and his employee Ian. It was great to meet another company similar to ours.. where detail and craftsmanship is valued over quantity and shortcuts. It was so refreshing to meet two craftsmen just like the Carpenter who believe in building the best and with the “highest care”. Working with pure materials- all wood, no interior laminates for their cabinets.

I’m hoping that we can partner up in the future, when there is a need for custom cabinets where quality and pure sustainable material is valued.

We start the “Post and Beam” barn build this week. The material is arriving from Nebraska Thursday along with the cold and snow flurries. It was as cold when the foundation was dug and the walls and floor were poured back in October. We are hoping this November cold snap is just a “snap”. That would be nice.

As I sit here writing this it is almost dark at 4:30 PM, and a light coating of snowflakes like powdered sugar have dressed our shingles. Are we ready for this? The darkest days of the year. It is good to think of holidays when family gatherings and festive lights will brighten these gloomy days.

, ,

Carrying on.

, ,

by the Artist

Training our hearts out. That's how it feels these days with our latest hire.. Mazie. She is full of life and sass. We haven't gotten to "how to manage snacks" portion of the job yet (right now she's exploring counter cruising). Still covering the basics. We are looking forward to starting a puppy class this Thursday night. We just know she will be the smartest dog in the class! ;)

The Carpenter and crew just finished up the Birchwood Renovation Project https://www.applewoodremodelers.com/birchwood-renovation/ and The Lecuyer Project https://www.applewoodremodelers.com/the-lecuyer-project/. It was nice to work with two different architectural styles. It is always so satisfying to complete a project where the homeowners are thrilled with their new spaces. We are now full steam ahead on the Floral Project building a third garage, and adding a front porch entrance to update a rambler.

The Carpenter is meeting weekly with potential customers on a variety of projects. (we are booking into spring but still have room in our schedule for you!) He continues to manage the projects, pick up supplies and just generally be there for homeowner or crew's project concerns or questions. He is so busy he doesn't have time to write a post these days for this blog. What can I say? 

Carrying on.

 

,

Mazie's first adventure

,

by the Artist

It's been a hectic 5 weeks since Mazie Grace came into our lives. She hasn't started snack management training yet.. is still learning the do's and don'ts of civilized proper behavior for a lady. They say that manners have gone out of style.. well that won't be the case for Miss Mazie. She will have a lot of responsibilities and will need to know how to behave in different situations. 

We are on the home stretch for the Lecuyer Project (head to this link to see photos of this project) https://www.applewoodremodelers.com/in-progress/. I decided that it was time to introduce Mazie to a job site. Training started when she entered the crate in the car. It was an eventful trip. She is prone to car sickness. Both ends. She is amazing. ;O

Anyway it was great to see the job in person. The woodworking trim details are beautiful. The marble subway tile is the perfect compliment to the white, gray and tan color scheme. I can't wait to see the finished project. I met the homeowner and he couldn't be happier.

So here's to finishing strong this week. And for another excellent job done. And for puppies learning how to ride nicely in a car!

 

,

Looking forward.

,

by the Artist

It's about time to focus on this blog. Today I'm thinking about the amount of projects we've had going on since summer and what is going to be an even busier November and December. And in the "in between" times the Carpenter continues to look for new crew members. We only need a few good men. They are hard to find apparently. 

We are currently finishing up a lower level remodel including a bath, and a larger interior remodel including two bath remodels. The Carpenter continues to be available to both homeowners to answer their questions. Last night he arrived home at 7. I always say... if you sign on with Applewood.. you will get solid moral support during the duration of your project. And with that comes usually additional work that we do our best to accommodate within project deadlines.

I had another sale last weekend for my chalk painted furniture line "A Painted Apple" in our front driveway. Traffic and sales increased because I put ads for every single piece I was selling on Craig's List. Had good activity for a few days. But still need to contact area shops to see if they want any "painted apples!" The Carpenter gave up on this endeavor of mine (I didn't blame him it's been a hard road) but is back to support me. Last night he came home with an old school desk from the 1960's. I've got plans for that!

Sale day was beautiful. Leaves were softly falling (I didn't need to get the leaf blower out) and the sun shined warm. I met some great people and got some good tips. There are a lot of members in the chalk painting club! 

Oh and in the past couple of weeks we topped 100 Likes (officially 103) on our Facebook page! That is cause for celebration. I started the Applewood page summer of 2012! I'm thankful for each "Like". It takes a loyal hardy soul to follow a construction company! 

 

 

 

, ,

Between.

, ,

by the Artist

We are in the between time. Just wrapped up the Modern Farmhouse Project. Starting a couple new projects. And in between we take care of the little jobs that have been on the wait list as we gear up and get into the groove with the new projects. 

It all works out. A balancing act for sure. This week as the Carpenter and I looked at the white board to schedule out the week.. I had to write a bunch of question marks. Between times don't go in a straight line. They are fluid. We have to be flexible. Rather.. I have to be flexible. I like plans and orderliness. I'm not good with changing plans or not even making a plan. No. Not for me.

I did take the time yesterday to head over to our completed Modern Farmhouse Project http://www.applewoodremodelers.com/recent-projects/ to take some final photos. Wow. I hadn't been there in awhile. Seeing it totally finished was amazing. What a contrast from what it used to look like. It must feel like living in a brand new house to the homeowners. It would feel that way to me. 

Here are some photos I captured yesterday. The house really turned out lovely. So simple and sleek. So fresh. I think you will agree. I've also attached some "before" photos just so you can see how transformed the house is!